


A Day at the Arcade

by MYuzuki



Series: Promptober 2020: 31 Days of Prompto [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: BAMF Prompto Argentum, Canon-Typical Violence, Competent Prompto Argentum, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto is awesome okay, Promptober 2020: 31 Days of Prompto, Promptober Day 3, also Promptober Day 27 but we're posting on Day 3 because I can lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:28:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26794393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MYuzuki/pseuds/MYuzuki
Summary: It's probably not very responsible of him, Noctis knows, to blow off today's training and strategy sessions in favor of going to the arcade, especially since he and his friends are scheduled to leave for Altissia in less than a week.But his life has been nonstop preparation for the upcoming trip for the last fifteen days and he's tired.So he coaxes Prompto into going with him to play some games, and they're having a great day……right up until a group of armed attackers busts in, at least.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: Promptober 2020: 31 Days of Prompto [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953943
Comments: 9
Kudos: 97





	A Day at the Arcade

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone! Welcome to my first contribution to Promptober 2020: 31 Days of Prompto!
> 
> I suppose this could technically count as both Day 3 (arcade) and Day 27 (BAMF), because it's Prompto being BAMF at an arcade. ;D In any case, I originally wrote this for just Day 27, but because it qualifies for both days (and because I'm super excited to share it with everyone) we'll be posting it today on the third day instead of in three weeks on day twenty-seven. ;D Enjoy!

**A Day at the Arcade**

* * *

It's probably not very responsible of him, Noctis knows, to blow off today's training and strategy sessions in favor of going to the arcade, especially since he and his friends are scheduled to leave for Altissia in less than a week.

But his life has been nonstop preparation for the upcoming trip for the last fifteen days and he's _tired_.

Tired of Iggy drilling him on royal protocol and how to behave towards Luna once they're reunited. Tired of Gladio insisting on endless sparring sessions because "who knows what we'll run into outside the Wall, better to be ready for anything".

And he knows his friends, knows that they're pushing him because they care and this is how they show their worry.

But he's tired of the endless fussing, tired of being reminded every second of every day that he's leaving to get _married_ in just a few days (the less time spent thinking about that the better, because as much as he cares about Luna and wants to see her again, he hadn't really expected a reunion via marriage, and subsequently he has a lot of complicated feelings about the situation that he has yet to unpack).

So he gets up early, earlier than anyone would expect given his usual preference for sleeping in as late as possible, and slips out of the Citadel before someone can spot him and saddle him with a Crownsguard escort.

It'll get him yelled at later, probably; there's been a rise in civil unrest in response to the upcoming peace treaty, enough so that any time not spent training or preparing for the trip is spent in the company of two Crownsguard operatives for additional security.

But contrary to popular opinion, he _is_ capable of protecting himself; he's received the best combat instruction available since he was old enough to walk specifically to ensure that.

Besides, it's not like he's going to be alone the entire time; he'll have Prompto with him.

And despite what plenty of people think (despite what _Gladio and Ignis_ seem to think, although they've been tactful enough not to say anything to Prompto's face), Prompto's far from helpless in a fight.

Because people see Prom's cheerful easy-going demeanor and the way he literally trips over himself sometimes in his excitement, and write him off.

But Noctis _knows_ Prom, knows how loyal and fierce he is under that bright smile, and beyond that he's witnessed some of Prom's training sessions with Cor these last couple weeks.

And Noct loves Prompto, he does, but he can't deny that his friend is more than a little terrifying with a gun in his hand.

So, no, he's not particularly worried about not having an official protection detail with him; he has Prompto, and that's more than enough.

It doesn't take much effort to convince Prompto to go with him to the arcade, either; his friend points out that Iggy and Gladio will be mad at them for ditching their respective responsibilities for the day, but it doesn't take much coaxing to get him on board. All Noct has to do is pout a little and say he misses just the two of them hanging out and Prom folds like wet tissue paper.

And so they go to the arcade and for the next three hours it's like they've gone back in time to those halcyon afternoons of their teenage years.

It's fun and nostalgic and everything Noctis was hoping it would be.

Right up until a group of armed dissidents storms the place looking to abduct the Crown Prince of Lucis.

One minute, he's doing a solo round on one of the vintage pinball machines while Prom grabs them some sodas from the snack vendor, the next minute someone's trying to get him in a choke-hold from behind while the other arcade patrons run screaming for the exits.

Luckily for him (and unluckily for his assailant), he's been drilled in self-defense since childhood, and Gladiolus in particular has taken great pleasure over the years in grabbing him in the headlocks and choke-holds and challenging him to get free.

So when someone grabs him from behind with obviously ill intent, Noct reacts instinctively, muscle memory taking over as he jerks his head backwards. There's a satisfying crunching sound as his attacker's nose breaks from the impact, and Noct wastes no time in pivoting around and summoning his sword even as his attacker's companions come charging towards him.

Noct shifts his stance, grip tightening on the hilt of his sword, but before he can do more than think about warping forward to stab the closest enemy in the face, shots ring out.

The two would-be kidnappers closest to Noct go down like marionettes with their strings cut, blood pooling on the linoleum floor beneath their bodies. The third attacker, the one Noct has dubbed Broken Nose Bastard, spins around and lifts up the dagger in his hand like he's planning to charge across the arcade at Prompto and stab him.

The bastard gets a bullet through the forehead for his trouble, and the knife goes clattering across the floor to rest under the air hockey table as his body thumps to the ground.

After that, there are only two attackers left, and they finally seem to realize that attacking the Crown Prince of Lucis isn't really something someone does if they want a long life expectancy; they exchange alarmed looks and make a break for the closest exit.

Noctis isn't particularly surprised when they don't get very far; two more shots crack through the air, and both of the guys go tumbling to the ground with hoarse shouts of pain, writhing on the floor and clutching at their shattered knees.

Noctis does a quick visual sweep of the immediate area, checking for any other potential threats, then dismisses his sword back to the Armiger with a thought as he wanders over to stand by Prompto's side as his friend lowers his gun, but keeps it ready in his hand just in case of any more unpleasant surprises. "No head-shots for the last two assholes?" he asks, lightly bumping shoulders with his friend as they wait for the inevitable Crownsguard response that's sure to come crashing into the building any moment.

Prompto's flashes him a quicksilver smile, all fondness and sharp amusement. "Nah," he says cheerfully, "might as well leave at least a little fun for someone else, right? This way Marshall Leonis gets to interrogate them and find out who put 'em up to attacking you."

"Cor would be very put out if he didn't get to terrorize someone in response to a direct threat on my life," Noct agrees dryly, because Cor, as one of his father's closest friends and Noct's own godfather, takes overprotective to a whole other level where the safety of the Lucis Caelum family is concerned.

In any case, Cor and a team of his Crownsguard operatives show up exactly two minutes and forty-seven seconds later.

("I think that's the best response time I've ever seen," Prompto whispers, giving a huff of laughter when Noct's only reply is to lightly kick him in the ankle because the best response time is clearly _Prom's_ , since he'd killed or disabled the entire squad of bad guys in under _one_ minute.)

Cor steps into the room, expression intense as he takes in the scene before him. His gaze lingers briefly on the bodies strewn cross the floor of the arcade, and then he strides over to Noctis and Prompto. "You're not hurt?" he asks.

"Not a bit," Noct assures him. _Thanks to Prom_ , he doesn't say, but he knows that the proud look he sends Prom's way says it for him.

Cor's stern countenance softens ever so slightly and he reaches out to clap Prompto on the shoulder. "Good work," he says, then heads back towards the wounded trouble makers over by the exit. "Try to stay out of trouble for at least the rest of the day, alright?" he calls over his shoulder.

Noctis doesn't bother dignifying that with a response, and opts for rolling his eyes instead.

(He's not going to say anything, but it's tremendously gratifying for Noctis to have Cor be so thoroughly unsurprised with how efficiently Prompto has dispatched Noct's would-be kidnappers, but he supposes it's not too unbelievable; Cor is the one overseeing the majority of Prom's training, after all, and the one who had ultimately signed off on the blonde accompanying Noct on the trip to Altissia in the first place, something he wouldn't have done if he'd had any doubts about Prompto's skills or dedication.)

Meanwhile, Gladio and Ignis (who had come rocketing into the arcade right on Cor's heels but hung back while the Marshall spoke to Noctis) waste no time in making a beeline straight for Noctis once the Immortal is out of the way, scolding him for "sneaking out of the Citadel so irresponsibly" and "leaving himself vulnerable to danger by not bringing along anyone to protect him".

Noctis busts up laughing before they can finish speaking, so out of breath from the hilarity that he has to physically lean on Prompto to stay standing even as Gladio and Ignis give him looks of matching shock mixed with indignation. "Guys," he says, "I did bring someone to protect me."

When all that earns him is two matching looks of polite skepticism, he rolls his eyes again. "Who exactly do you think took out these goons?" he asks, torn between amusement and exasperation.

Gladio's mouth snaps shut as his brows furrow, and he turns to survey the mess of the arcade with a fierce scowl while Ignis gets a calculating gleam in his eyes as he looks back and forth between Noctis and Prompto.

"Wait a second," Gladio says after a moment of awkward silence, the only sound the groans of the hobbled attackers as Cor cuffs them, yanks them upright, and not-so-gently steers them outside to the waiting transport van. "Are you saying Blondie did this?" He turns to stare at Prompto, expression one shade away from gaping. " _You_ did this?"

"Well, the bad guys certainly didn't shoot themselves," Noctis mutters, and sticks his tongue out when Prom elbows him in the ribs.

Prompto, meanwhile, gives a sunny smile and a sheepish laugh as he finally banishes his gun back to the Armiger with a wave of his hand. "Ah, come on, guys, it's not really that big of a deal," he says, running a hand through his hair with a flustered look, cheeks flushed. "Let's just go grab lunch or check out that new zombie flick or something and never talk about this again, okay?"

Noctis rolls his eyes one final time and yanks him into a loose hug. "You are _such_ a dork," he says fondly, tugging him towards the exit while Ignis and Gladio trail behind them, muttering furiously to each other all the way.


End file.
